The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. How the Hypocrite fails in point of Duty.
THere are two things I ſhall ſpeak to, in purſuance of this point.
1 Shew what duties an hypocrite is wholly defective in.
2 Shew wherein hee differs from a truly godly perſon in the duties which hee doth perform.
1 There are ſome duties which no hypocrite doth perform:
As 1. to ſpeak of Prayer, an hypocrite may pray; no hypocrite doth, or can pray in the Spirit, or doth watch in prayer, 1 Cor. 14. 15. Eph. 6. 18. Zach. 7. 3. Col. 4. 2.hee may bee long, or loud in prayer, may weep poſſibly at prayer, doth not watch in prayer.
2 An hypocrite may ſay many a prayer, many a Pater noſter, or Lords prayer no hypocrite doth ſay Daniels prayer, and put that into his Liturgy, without which all prayers are in vain; you may periſh with Our Father in your mouth; if you have not Daniels prayer in your heart, viz. praying that wee may turn from all our Dan. 9. 13.iniquities, and underſtand the truth.
I have heard ſome ignorant people ſay ſometime, God give us to pray that Good prayer, that God may hear, this is that good prayer, you may pray all manner of prayer and ſupplication, but if you regard iniquity in your hearts, God will not Pſal. 66. 18.regard all your prayers.
3 Though I ſaid an hypocrite may ſay the Lords prayer, (and not Daniels) hee may huddle it over, I mean, yet no hypocrite is ſerious in ſaying the Lords prayer; ask him Philips queſtion, But underſtandeſt Act. 8. 30.thou what thou readeſt, and doſt thou minde what thou ſayeſt? And he muſt anſwer, How can I? except I had a new heart.
There are two things wherein hee fails as to the Lords prayer.
1 Hee ſeparates the Concluſion, or Doxology from the Preface, hee ſaith, Our Father with all his heart, and is willing to take acquaintance of God ſo far as to have a Father in heaven. But when hee ſhould come to the Doxological concluſion, hee hath no Praiſe, Kingdome, power, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, to aſcribe to God, hee is better in the beginning of his duties, worſe in the end; better at prayer, than at praiſes. Now this is the proper work of Saints, yea of heavenly Saints and Angels, to bee full of praiſes, and to cloſe their duties with higheſt admiration of God, and hearts brim full of his excellencies apprehended.
The ſincere worſhipper is beſt at laſt, hee begins full of ſelf, ends full of God.
His heart the longer hee hath been at duty, is like the water that hath been over the fire, grows hotter, and hotter, at length it boyls and runs over; the poor narrow veſſel cannot hold it while the fire burns, ſo the godly ſay, their heart hath burnt within them, and even boyled over, Pſal. 45. 1. Ebullivit cor; &c.their hearts have been in heaven, when in praiſes and admirations of God.
2 Hee ſeparates the Petitions, an hypocrite may ſay the three laſt Petitions, no hypocrite doth ſay the three firſt Petitions with his ſpirit and underſtanding.
1 An hypocrite may with all his heart ſay Give mee this day my daily bread; Give mee Lord, health, peace, plenty; give thy bleſſing to mee, my children, my labours, ſtate, ſtock, bleſs my going out, coming in, adventures, &c. Here hee lefts up the voyce, and weeps; Haſt thou no bleſsing for mee? Bleſs mee even mee, Oh my Father.
2 Hee may pray with all his heart, Forgive mee my treſpaſſes; forgive both guilt and puniſhment, reſtore mee to thy favour, as though I had never offended, though hee doth but faintly promiſe to forgive others that treſpaſs againſt him.
3 He may pray with all his heart, Deliver mee from evil, i. e. from the evil one, from Satan, from his hands, malice, miſchief, Good Lord deliver mee, but from tentations of Satan, motions to ſin, occaſions of ſin, departure from God, unbeleef, hardneſs of heart, hee prayes not againſt them, hee ſaith but faintly, Lead us not into temptation.
2 But for the three firſt Petitions, hee cannot pray them at all.
1 To pray that Gods Name may bee hallowed, and Gods glory may bee exalted in every thing, and take the precedence of his own name, honour, intereſt, peace, comfort, ſo that God may bee magnified by his life, or death, what cares hee, this is onelyonly the frame of the truly gracious ſoul, Father ſave mee from this hour; but why ſhould I pray to bee ſaved from this hour? Father glorifie thy Joh. 12. 27, 28Name: Let mee rather want my daily bread, than thy Name want his glory: Let come on mee what will, or can, ſo that thy Name may get glory, let mee decreaſe, ſo it may increaſe here in ſincerity.
2 No hypocrite doth pray, Thy Kingdome come, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, but rather, ſtay a while, noli modo, come not yet, yet a little ſleep, and a little more ſlumber; no hypocrite doth pray that the Kingdome of God ſhould come into him in his life, it is enough for him to come into the Kingdome of God at his death. The hypocrite comes to God as a poor man to his neighbour, when hee knows not what in the earth to do. Sir, I am come of a great errand, I pray lend mee ſuch a ſumme of mony; ſo ſaith hee, Lord lend mee thy helping hand, and relieve mee in ſuch a caſe, and hee doth to God, as Saul to his Unkle, tells of his buſineſs, his way, and his Aſſes, not a word hee ſpeaks of the Kingdome; 1 Sam. 10. 16.the childe of God comes and ſayes, Lord, I have a great errand to thee, it is about a Kingdome I come, and not a Kingdome for my ſelf, but thee; I have a rebellious untoward heart of my own, Lord ſubdue it, Bleſſed bee the Kingdome Lake 19. 38.that comes in the Name of the Lord, Hoſanna in the highest: Let thy Kingdome come, let it come to day, before to morrow, Bee like the Roe, and like the Hart upon the Mountains of Spices: Hee came Cant. 8. 14.to God of the ſame great errand Iſrael came to David with, Behold, thou art 2 Sam. 5. 1, 2, 3our bone, and our fleſh, wee want a good King, wee come to offer thee a Kingdome, to ſet up thy Kingdome, and to anoint and chuſe thee to bee King over us, ſay us not nay, make a League and Covenant with us.
3 No hypocrite can pray, Thy will bee done, &c. OnelyOnly the ſincere ſoul ſaith that Petition, Let thy will bee done, not mine; what thou commandeſt, let it bee obeyed; what thou impoſeſt let it bee born; give ſtrength, patience, peace, ſupport, rather than deliverance out of affliction. It is written of mee that I ſhould do thy will; Agreed, I would it might bee, ſaith hee to God, as Laban to Jacob, according Gen. 30. 34.to thy word, Lord, with all my heart. I had rather ſerve God, than reign over men, rather have the grace of obedience, than the gift of working miracles; Thy minde to mee a Kingdome is. Da quod Jubes, Jube quod vis, Command firſt a Mallem obedire quam ſi poſſem miracula operari. Luther.willing minde, then command whatſoever thou wilt; I would Lord, thy will ſhould bee done in every thing; yea I would have it done as well on earth, as it is in heaven; no grumbling, repining, queſtioning, gain-ſaying, no halving, no halting, or imperfect obedience to God, no faint, cold, dead performing of any holy ſervice; but let thy will in every part of it bee obſerved punctually, readily, cheerfully, univerſally; let thy commands bee obeyed continually, totally, inwardly holily, conſcientiouſly, and let thy worſhip bee performed purely, ſpiritually, livelily, heavenlily, Angelically, Divinely, perfectly, with all the heart, and minde, and ſoul, and ſtrength, and joy, and delight.
Thus much for Prayer.
2 For hearing: I will not ſay but an hypocrite may hear much, and often, but hee doth not take heed how hee hears. Hee is one of Ezekiels hearers, or comers, who Ez. 33. 31, 32.ſay, Come let us hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord, they come, and ſit, and hear, as my people, but they will not do my words; for with their mouths they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs. But he is none of Iſaiahs hearers or comers, who ſay, Come let us go to the houſe of the Lord, and hee will Iſa. 2. 3, 4.teach us of his wayes, and wee will walk in his pathes. An hypocrite may bee a great Sermon-hearer, cannot bee called a Sermon-follower, hee hath the ear tipt, or the tongue tipt; but hath not as the Prieſts in the day of their Conſecration, and the Leper in the day of his Purification, had their ear, and the thumb of Exod 29. 20. Lev. 14, 14, 17.their right hand, and the great Toe of their right foot, all anointed; to ſhew that not onelyonly the ear is to bee conſecrated, but the hand with which wee work, and the foot with which wee walk, ſhould all bee ſanctified.
3 I will not ſay but the hypocrite may ſearch the Scriptures, to ſee what hee can finde in them, and if it may bee to finde eternal life by ſearching them, but no hypocrite doth ſearch his heart by the Scriptures; hee doth not take this light, and ſearch, and ſweep this houſe; hee is one of the Jewiſh ſearchers, hee is none of the Berean ſearchers, who ſearched the Scriptures daily to ſee if Joh. 5. 39 Act. 17. 11theſe things were ſo, ſo in their books, and ſo in their hearts, and lives.
The ſincere ſoul ſearcheth firſt how the Sermon and the Scripture agree, and then how his heart and life agree with the Scripture and Sermon. The hypocrite cenſures the Preacher, if hee wander from his Text, and his Doctrine agree not with his Text, or his Ʋſe with his Doctrine; but hee cenſures not himſelf when his practice wanders from Text and Doctrine, and Uſe too. Hee is very critical in hearing, or reading an Author, very hypocritical in reading his own heart, and examining his own life; hee notes what unſound Divinity is in anothers Sermon, or Book, not what unſound Christianity is in his own heart. Hee is as Auſtin ſaid, more troubled at anothers incongruity of ſpeech, or impropriety of phraſe, than at his own ſoleciſmes, abſurdities, and barbarociſmes in manners.
4 An hypocrite may (I will grant) keep his mouth with all keeping and caution, but no hypocrite in the world doth minde that duty, Prov. 4. 23. to keep his heart with all keeping, to obſerve what ſtuffe is there, and to bee troubled at his own vain, unbeleeving thoughts, and ſinfull imaginations, which are the greateſt trouble and exerciſe of a childe of God to keep his heart clean.
5 Every hypocrite doth talk of God, no hypocrite doth walk with God, ſetting Gen. 5. 24. & 6. 9God as David did alway before him, hee is continually at my right hand, therefore I ſhall not fall, Pſal. 16.
6 No hypocrite hath his converſation Phil. 3. 20in heaven; hee may have heaven in his communication, never in his converſation; hee may bee high minded, is never heavenly minded, may bee heavenly-mouthed, cannot bee heavenly-minded.
7 Laſtly, No hypocrite can ſay, Hee doth delight in the Law of God in his inner Rom. 7. 22man, hee may delight to hear, or read it in many paſſages for the equity and juſtice that is in it; but to delight in it (in the purity, ſpiritualneſs, and latitude of it) and that in the inner man (with all the heart) to like well of the Prohibitory part of it, Thou ſhalt not luſt, and of the Mandatory part, Thou ſhalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thy ſelf; and ſo like the Law well when it rebukes, and convinceth of ſin, and ſhuts up our mouths, this is a rare act of ſincerity. To ſay of the Law in every precept, and in every reſpect, as Paul doth, I conſent to it, I allow not any 1 Sam, 6. 20 Rom 7. 12.diſobedience againſt it, it is all holy, and juſt, and good, argues ſincerity. An hypocrite may ſay it is holy, and ſo holy, that hee likes it the worſe again, who can ſtand before this holy Law? or before this holy Lord, by reaſon of his Law? Hee can ſay alſo, It is a juſt Law (too juſt) but hee can ſcarcely finde in his heart to ſay, It is good. The promiſe is good hee ſaith, but the Law hee could wiſh were repealed, and were made a dead letter, for it is to his luſts a killing letter, an unpleaſing curb; and hee deſires with Iſrael Heb. 12. 19that hee may never hear more of it, then hee ſhall live again, otherwiſe hee concludes hee muſt needs dye.
The ſecond thing wherein an hypocrite is tardy in matter of duty different from the godly, is in his manner and way of performing it. Hee falls not ſhort ſo much in the matter, form, expreſſion, meaſure, length, and ſize of his duties, as in the life, holineſs, ſpiritualneſs, and manner of his duties. Manners do not only make a man as wee ſay (not Mannors, Means, Lordſhips, Habit, &c.) but manners make the Chriſtian alſo. The Sio… and the Luke 8. 18. Mat. 6. 1. 5, 16 1 Cor. 9. 24, 26 Phil. 3. 17 1 Cor. 11. 28 Mat. 24. 46.Quomodo go a great way in a Chriſtians work. Take heed how you hear, pray, faſt, give alms, rather than that you hear, pray, &c. The So running, So fighting, So walking, So eating, and So doing, are more commanded and commended, than the bare actions.
The firſt failing in this kinde is, that the hypocrite ruſheth abruptly, and unpreparedly upon his duties, no preparation before, no attention in, no reformation after his duties, hee comes from ſin, to duty, and from duty, to ſin again; as that Strumpet who had been ſeeking God by day at her peace-offerings, at Prov 7. 14night ſeeks out her wanton Mate; or as Judas who came reeking from the High Prieſt into Chriſt his preſence, and from the Lords Table, hee goes to the Table of Devils, hee returns with his Sop to the High Prieſts again, hee can lodge Chriſt and Belial both in a bed. What an abomination was that the Lord complains of, Ezek. 23. 39. When they had ſlain their children to their Idols, they came the ſame day into my Sanctuary to prophane it, and thus they have done in the midſt of my houſe. The hypocrites duties are but a ſhort Parentheſis, brought in I know not how▪ between a many lines of ſin going before, and as many following after, whereas the Lord will bee ſanctified in thoſe that draw neer to him. The Lord requires Lev. 10. 3to every ſolemn and extraordinary duty, …xtraordinary and ſuitable preparation; when Aaron and the Prieſts were firſt to be conſecrated, becauſe they were to enter upon a holy function, they were to wait ſeven dayes at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and not to go out, for ſeven dayes you ſhall bee conſecrated, ſaid the Lord. And when Iſrael Lev. 8. 33was to appear before the Lord at Sinai, to receive the Law, they were to bee ſanctified three dayes, before-hand, Exod. 19. 10, 11. The Paſsover was not to bee eaten by any in his uncleanneſs, hee Lev. 7. 20did more ſin in eating ſo, than in a religious forbearance, and as there was a preparation and purification of the Sanctuary to all that came to that Old 2 Chron. 30Teſtament Sacrament; ſo is the like required to our Sacrament, Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. And as 1 Cor. 11. 28there was to bee an extraordinary preparation upon extraordinary approaches, ſo an ordinary and habitual preparation to ordinary, and daily duties. The Laver ſtood near the Altar, in which the Exod. 30. 19, 20, 21Prieſts were ever to waſh before they did officiate, and they were to waſh again when they had done, Lev. 16. 24. God requireth holineſs before, in, and after our duties. Hence St. James, Cleanſe your hands you ſinners, and purifie your hearts yee double-minded; and then draw near to God, and hee will draw near to you. Jam. 4. 8So alſo the Apoſtle alludes to that uſe. Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a tru heart in full aſſurance of faith, having our hearts ſprinkled from an evill conſcience, and our bodies waſhed with pure water. The Muſician ſpends ſome time in tuning his inſtrument before hee playes, our hearts ſhould bee tuned before wee pray. Gregory notes how the Cock ſtirs up himſelf, claps his wings to awake himſelf, before hee crows to awake others; ſo ſhould the Preacher ſaith hee, ſo may I ſay alſo when thou prayeſt, ſay as Deborah, Awake, Awake, utter a ſong; Awake my harp, and I will awake, ſaith David; Judg. 5.the Harp makes dull muſick, if the heart be aſleep. Stir up thy ſelf, and the gift of God that is in thee, then preach, or 2 Tim. 1. 6then pray. Sampſon was wont to ſhake himſelf, and hee found the Spirit and ſtrength of God come upon him, ſo do thou. In a word, before duties waſh, in duties watch, and after duties waſh again, Judg. 16and keep thee clean: waſh unclean hands before prayer, lift up holy hands in prayer, 1 Tim. 2. 8and lift up holy feet after prayer. Bee as careful and conſtant in acting, and uſing grace, before duty, and grace after duty, as thou art in ſaying Grace before and after meat. And tell not mee what thou art in duty, but what thou art before, and after thy duty; As a man is not ſo well known by what hee is in affliction, as what hee is after.
2 The ſecond thing wherein the hypocrite fails in that hee comes off heavily in duty, comes unwillingly, grudgingly, and grumblingly to his duty; no love of Chriſt, or love of duty conſtrains him to exerciſing acts of piety or charity; his feet are not like Harts feet, his heart like the Chariots of Amminadib (or Cant. 6. 12.of a willing people) as the Spouſe ſaid, but every finger is a Thumb with him. His Myrrhe is not Myrrha Libera, free flowing myrrhe, his giving is not with ſimplicity, or liberality his ſhewing mercy foreign Rom. 12. 8. Rom. 12. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 5.with chearfulneſs, his ſpirit makes him not willing, Exod. 35. 21. his body is no living ſacrifice, no nor himſelf a lively ſtone, but when hee gives, hee doth it, foreign, foreign, either with an ill 2 Cor. 9. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 2. foreign not foreign, or foreign. 1 Sam. 13. 12.look, or with an ill like, grudgingly, or of neceſſity; when hee preacheth, or prayeth, hee doth it conſtrainedly, not voluntarily, or for love of hire, not hire of love, and of a ready minde, as Peter ſaith, and when hee ſacrificeth, hee forceth himſelf as Saul ſaid. What a weary life is this, ſaith hee, and hee ſnuffes at it again, Mal. 1. 13. and 2. 13. Thus have you done ſaith the Lord, covering the Altar with tears, with weeping and crying out, inſomuch that hee regardeth not the offering any more, nor receiveth it with good will at your hands.
But it is otherwiſe with a godly ſoul, his ſpirit is a free ſpirit, his love conſtrains 2 Cor. 5. 14▪him, hee delights to draw near to God, hee is glad when hee goes to the houſe of the Lord, hee thirſts, pants, and longs after God, the living God (and this is one remarkable difference between him and the hypocrite in all his duties) hee not onelyonly deſires Gods gifts and mercies, and bleſſings, but his preſence, acceptance, and favour in all his approaches, yea Gods face doth hee ſeek, and is not ſatisfied without it, yea God himſelf is his expectation, and his great errand (as I ſaid before) Now Lord what wait I for? Truly my expectation is from thee. Pſal. 39. 7. & 62. 5.So hee reſts not in preſenting God with any ſervice, but with his ſervice hee tenders up himſelf, Oh Lord, I am thy ſervant, truly I am thy ſervant, and thou haſt looſed my bonds, Pſal. 1 16. 16.
Alas! It is not ſacrifice that God calls for, but obedience, nor duty, but love to duty is accepted (hee that loveth mee, and Exod. 20. 6.keepeth my Commandements) not the gift, but the giver is looked upon with God, and not the full and great giver, but the cheerful giver, Non est volantis, niſi volentis, non clamantis ſed amantis. Gods people are all a willing people. It was not Pſal. 110. 3.offering in Moſes dayes towards the Tabernacle, as in Davids towards the Temple, but offering willingly, which was looked upon. Nor is it praying, or Exod. 35. 21. 1 Chron. 29. 17.preaching, but doing it willing which is rewarded, 1 Cor. 9. 17. The truth is (as one ſaith well) it is as bad, or worſe to ſerve God unwillingly, as to ſin unwillingly. When thou ſinneſt againſt thy will the ſin is leſs. When thou performeſt a good duty unwillingly, the greater the ſin. Therefore the godly man in his worſt, is better than the wicked in his best. In his worſt hee can alway ſay through Grace, to will is preſent, though to perform as I would, is not in my power, Rom. 7. 18when the other muſt ſay, what ever my performance was, my will was abſent. In a word, the hypocrite ever comes unwillingly to his duty, goes more willingly from it, the godly comes more willingly to it, with more unwillingneſs (did not other neceſſary duties alſo call him off) doth hee depart from it.
3 The Hypocrite when hee comes to his duty is liveleſs, ſleight, and negligent in his duty. The prophane perſon is negligent of his duty, the hypocrite in it; as in ſeeing hee ſees not, and in hearing hee hears not, ſo in praying hee prayes not; hee doth but read prayer, or ſay prayer, or ſay Service, as it was ſaid, or ſay Grace, or ſay, or ſing Maſs, as the Papiſts call it, who are all for opus operatum, 1 Cor. 14, 15 Jam 5. 17 foreign.but one may ſay a prayer, and not pray a prayer; Ile pray with my ſpirit, and my underſtanding. Elias prayed a Prayer, the Greek word is, hee prayed in earneſt. Hannah her heart prayed, her words were not heard; theſe their words are heard, their heart moves not. It is one thing to ſay Grace (a childe may do that) another thing gratias agere, to act graces, or to do thanks, otherwiſe there may bee thankſgiving ſine gratiarum actione. It is one thing to pray, another to watch in prayer, ſtrive, wraſtle, be inſtant in prayer, it is a ſmall thing to faſt, look ſourly, hang down the head like a bulruſh, it is ſomewhat more to afflict the ſoul, pour out the ſoul, draw out the ſoul. If thou wouldeſt look on thy fleece when thou haſt prayed, and ſee what drops of dew are on it, look on thy face when thou prayeſt, and ſee what drops of ſweat are on thy fore head, and of tears in thy eyes. In this exerciſe wee muſt not ſtir ad ruhorem, but ad ſudorem, ad calorem & fervorem. Rom. 12. 11 foreignBe fervent (boyling hot) in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord. Holy Bradford never left praying, till his heart yeelded and melted. But the hypocrites ſervice is a cold, dead, cheap, and eaſie ſervice, hee hath a male in his flock (hath activity Mal. 1 14and ſpirit in buſineſſes of the world) but offers to God a corrupt thing, the ſick and lame that cannot go alone, hee appears before the Lord empty, offers to God that which coſts him nothing, which Davids ſoul abhorred, hee doth the Lords work negligently, and cryes out, ad quid 2 Sam. 24. 24profuſio iſtaec! whereto ſerveth this waſte of time, ſpirits, and ſtrength more than needs! In the Law Ceremonial, wee read God did reject the firſtling of an Aſs (a dull creature from) being conſecrated among other firſtlings, he would rather ſee his neck broken, then his fleſh upon his Altar. The ſlow and ſlothfull Lev. 11. 30.Snail, and Tortois might not bee eaten or touched; and whatſoever Fowl did creep, and what had wings to flye, which if it did crawl and creep was above all Lev. 11. 20. & 23.to bee an abomination; what ſhould the Lord do with a dull Aſs, or lazy Snail in his ſervice? Wee may not ſay in this caſe, The Lord hath need of him. So that prayer that ſhould flye, if it do creep and ſleep, what is it but an abomination? The hypocrite thinks it the eaſieſt matter in the world to ſerve God, to pray, beleeve, &c. But the Scripture tells us another tale, and makes it a harder matter than moſt think of. Wee will ſerve the Lord ſaid Iſrael to Joſhuah, you ſay Joſh. 24. 19more than you can do, ſaid hee, Yee cannot ſerve the Lord, for hee is an holy and jealous God. And whereas an hypocrite thinks it ſo eaſie a matter to pray, hee can do it with one hand tyed behinde him (hee thinks) the godly man complains, except the Spirit help his infirmities, Rom. 8. 26hee knows not how to pray at all, or to ſet one word before another, any more than the weak Infant, who cannot go a ſtep if not held by the hand of the Nurſe, or the young Schollar who knows not how to hold his pen in writing, or make one good letter, longer than his hand is guided by his Maſters. What the one glories hee can do with eaſe, with a wet finger, as wee ſay, the other findes by ſad experience, and laments that hee cannot yet skill of, though it hath coſt him many a wet eye and cheek.
4 The hypocrite is conſtantly out in his prayers, and other holy ſervices, ever diſtracted, and at a loſs. A ſincere man is too often, the hypocrite ever, his holy duties are therefore called, Dead works, becauſe the heart and ſoul is ſeparated from them. The hypocrites heart is unbroken, his prayers broken; the others heart is rent, but his prayers intire. I give my ſelf to prayer, ſaid David, or I Pſal. 109. 4am all prayer, as the original hath it. The one doth hoc agere, the other aliud agere: Hee draweth neer with his lips, his heart far off: Near God in his lips, far off Eſ. 29. 13.in his reigns. They ſit as my people, and hear, but their heart goes after their covetouſneſs. Jer. 12. 2 Eze. 33. 32The mouth and heart are far aſunder in prayer, the ear and heart in hearing. The godly can often ſay to his comfort, I ſleep, but my heart waketh. Cant. 5. 20Even when I am about other Civil imployments, My ſoul keepeth ſilence unto Pſal. 62. 1God; I am ſtill when I am awake, or even at work with thee, My ſoul followeth hard Pſal. 139. 18after God; and the other muſt ſay, if hee ſpeak truth, I wake and pray, but my heart Pſal. 63. 8ſleepeth, my heart is ſtill purſuing earthly objects, even when I ſeem imployed in heavenly ſervices.
5 The hypocrite hath ever deſignes upon God in all his duties and deſires, that God ſhould comply with him, the ſincere ſoul hath deſignes upon himſelf and deſires help of God that hee may comply wholly with him. The one offers ever a Wave-offering, he waves his lips to God, and when it comes to perfect and Eſ. 43. 24through obedience, hee waves that; the godly offers a whole Burnt-offering; the hypocrite Ʋtitur Deo, ut fruatur mundo, makes uſe of God, and would make him ſerve, as Iſaiah hath it, ſerve his turn, when hee is in a ſtrait. But his end is not God, but himſelf, hee faſts and prayes to himſelf, as Zach. 7. 5. Did yee faſt at all to mee, ſaith God? No, no ſuch matter. Non tua ſed te, ſaith a godly ſoul; Lord, I ſeek not thine ſo much as thy ſelf, Te propter te, Tua poſt te, propter te, O Lord, I ſeek thee for thy ſelf, not thy gifts, thy gifts are ſweet, thy ſelf ſweeter; thy gifts relieve mee, thy ſelf onelyonly can ſatisfie Pſal. 42. 2, & 10, …mee: My ſoul is a thirſt for God, Oh when wilt thou come to mee! Thou art my portion ſaith my ſoul, Nunquani ad te niſi ob te, nunquam a te, abſque te; Lord I would never come to thee, but for thy ſelf, and let mee never go from thy preſence, but with thee preſent. An hypocrite on the other ſide hath ever a deſire to draw God over to him, as Balaam, and they Jer. 42. who deſired much that Jeremy ſhould pray for them, that they might go into Egypt, and do what they liked, and that God ſhould give his placet, and conſent. Thus devout was Pharaoh, and Zedekiah, Intreat for us, ſay they. This is non te, ſed tua, in plain Engliſh to ſay, Lord wee would that thou Mar. 10. 35.ſhouldſt do for us whatſoever wee deſire. A very reaſonable requeſt. To whom our Saviours anſwer is, You know not what you ask; Quid dabis is the hypocrites firſt Petition, as it was Judaſſes, What wilt thou give mee? what profit will it bee, &c. Job 21. 15. not Quid rependam, what ſhall I render unto the Lord? A godly ſoul prayeth with holy Auſtin, Da quod Jubes, & Jube quod vis, Give mee Lord to will what thou commandeſt, and then command as long as thou wilt.
6 An hypocrite cannot take a little more pains in a duty, but hee is puft up preſently, and mingles the blood of his ſacrifice, with the blood of Chriſt, I have had Peace-offerings to day, therefore I am abſolved, my duties have made mee whole; nay, his mouth runs over commonly, and a Trumpet muſt bee ſounded in Gods ear, O God I thank thee I am not thus and thus; yea it may bee the next man hee meets, hee muſt bee told of it, Come ſee my zeal. The godly man is content to bee ſeen in ſecret, and to bee in Occulto Judaeus, a Jew within, and is as humble after a duty, as after a ſin, unprofitable ſervant that I am! not to mee, but to thy Name bee the glory; Not I, but the grace of God with mee. The 1 Cor. 15. 10.Gleanings of Chriſts Interceſſion is better than all my Vintage. I need that High Prieſt to take away the iniquities of my holy things, as well as to cover Exod. 28. 38my fouleſt miſcarriages. If the Lord ſhould bate mee all my other ſins, and reckon onelyonly for my duties, woe to mee! Hee hath learned with Luther to bee Cave etiam a bonis operibus.afraid, not onelyonly of his evill deeds, but his good deeds alſo; with Paul not onelyonly to part with his unrighteouſneſs, but his righteouſneſs alſo. The Duty, Gift, Phil 3. 8, 9.Grace, or Revelation that puffs thee up doth thee hurt, that under, and after which, thou art moſt humble, is beſt performed. It is never ſo well, ſaid one, as when Moſes face ſhines and hee not aware of it. But an hypocrite loſeth the comfort of his duties by applauding himſelf, and for making a holy perfume to ſmell to, hee is cut off, Exod. 30. 38. It fares with an hypocrite priding himſelf in his duties, and looking for a reward for them, as with that Souldier who caſt himſelf into the Sea to take up Alexanders faln Crown, and putting it on his own head while hee preſented it to him, or with the Amalekites who 2 Sam. 1. 15 & 4. 12.brought David Sauls Crown, or Baanah and Rechab who brought Iſhboſheths head, they all expected great thanks and rewards, but loſt their lives. Hee that will ſave his life, ſhall loſe it, and hee that will bee ſaved by his duties, will bee loſt and undone by them. Wee muſt neither make the Creed a prayer, nor a prayer our Creed. We read Lev. 16. 24. that the Prieſts were to waſh after their ſacrifice, as well as before; and wee need the blood of Chriſt to waſh our prayers and tears, as well as our ſins. Say none but Chriſt. Wee read again, Lev. 16. 20. That there was to bee a more ſolemn ſanctifying, and reconciling of the holy place, the Tabernacle, the Altar, &c. All which were reputed holy, and might bee looked upon as what ſhould cleanſe and reconcile them; ſo do wee need the blood of Chriſt, to reconcile our Altar, Tabernacle, and Sabbath-ſervices, which wee are apt to think are of a reconciling and cleanſing nature.
To conclude, as Irenaeus ſaid, As it were better for a man to bee the moſt ignorant perſon in the world, to know nothing in matters of Philoſophy, or in any controverſie of Divinity, ſo hee know Chriſt crucified, rather than to have all knowledge, and to bee ignorant of him. So it were better for a man to have no duties or righteouſneſs at all, and have nothing but ſenſe of ſin, and worthleſneſs, and to flye to Chriſt with the Publican, or with the Theef on the Croſs, than to have all duties and righteouſneſs whatſoever, without any ſenſe of ſin at all, and to bee thereby kept from Chriſt.